Johnston Police Chief Richard S. Tamburini looked at the town’s newest police officers and declared, “These three new recruits are a welcomed addition to the proud ranks of the Johnston Police.”

Tamburini, who is known as Rhode Island’s longest-serving law enforcement official, actually issued that statement twice on a recent Thursday afternoon; once inside the Community College of Rhode Island Flanagan Fieldhouse in Lincoln and the other at JPD headquarters off Atwood Avenue.

“These officers will fill a void left by the retirement of three officers,” the veteran JPD chief explained. “After an extensive and competitive testing process these recruits were selected because they were head and shoulders above their competitors.”

The recruits – Nicholas Manocchio, Kayleigh Cooper and Michael Schiappa – graduated from the Rhode Island Municipal Training Academy upon completion of an intense 22-week course during which all facets of police work was covered.

“Now, these three recruits will ride with a seasoned officer for 14 weeks before they are deployed,” Tamburini said. “Again, they are a welcomed addition to the JPD.”

Tamburini also issued “congratulations to all three recruits” and emphasized “you have completed the transformation from citizen to law enforcement officer. You have sacrificed a lot or the last 20 plus weeks and successfully arrived at this moment in your life. Do not get complacent. This is an exciting career; stay sharp.”

Following the graduation ceremony at CCRI in Lincoln, the new recruits and members of their families went to JPD headquarters where they were sworn into office by Mayor Joseph Polisena during a brief yet impressive ceremony.

The Mayor, as well as Tamburni, heaped words of praise upon Cooper, for her extraordinary effort in reciting the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics on graduation day at the RI Municipal Training Academy.

“It was rewarding for me to hear Officer Cooper recite the Code of Ethics,” Tamburini said. “She impressed everyone … her classmates, the audience … and she didn’t just read it, she memorized it and that was part of the requirement for the ceremony.”